ON BEHALF OF THE REPORTER STAFF,
we offer our sincere apologies to our readers for offensive content in
the article “Retro Word on the Street” published in the September
2013 issue. The article included a joke about Swine Flu that
drew allusions to a transition between genders, which was both
inaccurate and offensive. This oversight on the part of Reporter
was due to a widespread lack of understanding with regard to
the Transgendered community. To prevent similar instances, all
members of the editorial board will be participating in OUTspoken’s
Safe Zone training. In addition, we would like to encourage the
members of RIT to join us in seeking a better understanding of this
community. For more information, go to rit.edu/sg/outspoken. If
you have an opinion on the matter you would like to express, please
send a letter to the editor at reportermag@rit.edu.

At the MSO Presidents Roundtable on Thursday September 19 I was jolted from abstraction by
words that no editor ever wants to hear: you published an offensive comment. OUTspoken Vice
President Andrew Tuttle explained that one of the answers in “Retro Word on the Street” was
offensive and insulting to the Transgendered community.
Taking offense is entirely personal and cannot be accurately measured. My conservative
relatives might be offended if they knew I had lived with my boyfriend out of wedlock. Then
again, I am offended when they make slightly racist comments about our current president.
Because we have diverse perspectives and beliefs, it is impossible to determine the validity of
one’s claim; we can only agree or disagree.
As stated in an article from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Center for Journalism Ethics,
“Causing offense is too subjective to act as a reliable criterion for restraining expression.” The

comment in last month’s magazine was offensive. But it was also ignorant and disrespectful.

“What does matter is harm, not offense. The real ethical question is whether publications
or free expression cause unjustifiable harm to individuals, groups, and vulnerable minorities.
For example, publications against religions, lifestyles, sexual practice, and minorities not only
‘offend.’ They may create a harmful, poisonous environment in which these groups must live.”
The “Retro Word on the Street” comment was insulting and disrespectful, and exposed an
unfortunate lack of understanding within the Editorial Board; something we are working to
correct. Regardless of intent or interpretation it is our responsibility to seek an understanding
of diverse perspectives in order to be completely nondiscriminatory. As a college publication
we strive to maintain a high level of respect for all communities within RIT.

3.86, 5.41, 6.41. As of this past summer, these are the new interest
rate percentages for undergraduate, graduate and PLUS loans,
respectively. The RIT Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships has its
own chart showing past interest rates for subsidized/unsubsidized
direct loans starting from 2008, the highest being 6.8 percent.
According to the Washington Post, President Obama signed a
bipartisan bill that lowered interest rates starting this current school
year and set new caps to limit how high the rates can go: 8.25 percent
for undergraduates, 9.5 percent for graduate students and 10.5
percent for PLUS loans. These caps were set to allow for the rates as
the economy improves.
The bill is one of many proposals that Obama is implementing in
order to reduce the burden of loans on future and current college
students. According to the New York Times, the president has plans
to implement a rating system for colleges based on measures such

can arise from things like loan repayment to general requirements

as tuition, graduation rates, debt and earnings of graduates and

and even laws. Hazen stressed the importance of knowing what goes

percentage of lower-income students attending. If approved by

into your loans and whatever you sign. “We try to put [information]

Congress, he hopes to implement it by 2015. The idea behind the

everywhere we can and put it in such a way that students can find it,”

proposal is to “base federal financial aid to students attending the

said Hazen. “They are responsible for reading it but [financial advisors]

colleges partly on those rankings,” according to the New York Times.

are responsible for answering questions if they have them.”

New repayment plans such as “pay as you earn” are also being taken

However, not all students are unaware of the financial risks involved

into consideration as new proposals are brought up.

with going to college. Creg Bryski, a first year Engineering Exploration

Verna Hazen, assistant vice president for financial aid and

major, expressed his understanding of the ongoing change, but was

scholarships at RIT, says the lowered rates were long awaited since

unsure of how it will impact his college career and beyond. “Nothing

past caps had expired and many proposals were created in hopes

is ever set in stone. As soon as I get out of here, there’s no guarantee

of changing the caps once again. “Some of them were not attractive

I will get a job to pay all the loans back,” said Bryski. “What’s going to

proposals at all, so we were all very concerned about what would

happen when I don’t?”

happen,” said Hazen.

Michelle Catalfamo, a third year Motion Picture Science major, felt

As various loan reforms are taking place, some private companies

positively about the bill, but seemed concerned with loans getting

are opting out of the loan business altogether. According to Forbes,

harder to obtain. “With my limit, I might have to find another one

JPMorgan will be notifying colleges, starting October 12, that it will

during my senior year,” said Catalfamo.

stop accepting applications for student loans. The bank believes there

This ongoing battle is currently being debated in Congress,

is “no major growth potential for the unit as competition from the

discussed in the Department of Education and will ultimately fall

federal government increases.” Other private student loan providers,

down onto the school and its students. Changes are actively taking

like Sallie Mae, are still sticking with the business.

place, and as a student it is good practice to keep up to date on future

As new and old students alike are getting adjusted to the new
school year, student loan reforms are often overlooked and confusion

RIT Dining Services recently implemented a policy that
prevents workers from wearing any type of jewelry that
could be harmful to the integrity of the food. For example,
workers cannot have any dangling earrings, because
they could fall off and land in the food; or wedding rings,
because they could puncture the gloves and touch the
food. The policy also has rules pertaining to tattoos that
might look unappealing or offensive to customers. This
means that any obscene, racist or sexual tattoos must be
covered up while working.
Kory Samuels, the executive director of Dining Services,
gave some insight on the policy. “It goes more into depth

present ourselves, and how we’re going to continuously

than just uniforms; it dives into the ultimate idea that

improve our services … all that compasses towards

there is a good customer experience.” Samuels, who

customer service.”

advocates for professionalism in the workplace, said: “It’s

First year Film and Animation student Holly McMahon

a higher expectation, for the food quality you put out and

agreed with Samuels about covering up tattoos and

the way in which you present yourself.”

compared the rules to similar workplace expectations.

Eddie Zamites, a student manager at the RITz, said “I feel

However, she had some doubts about the jewelry policy,

like we have an image we have to uphold here. You have

stating that “The ring aspect doesn’t seem really necessary,

to be professional.”

because they wear the gloves anyway.”

Samuels argued that as an organization, especially in

Zamites explained that tattoos are more of a personal

a higher education setting, there has to be outstanding

image concern, whereas piercings are more of a food

customer service in order to be successful, and part of

safety concern. “We don’t want people coming back

this service depends on personal image. “Let’s look at

saying that they found earrings in their food: that’s just

our customer service initiative, first part being how we

not professional.” He also specified that if “you have an
offensive tattoo you have to cover it up.”
McMahon believed that people should be able to express
themselves the way that they feel is right, depending on
the situation. “Sometimes with work, you just have to
do what they tell you to - within reason, of course. In
general, it isn’t something that should make people really
outraged.”
Overall, RIT Dining Services upholds the belief that in
order to maintain a high level of customer satisfaction,
measures must be taken to secure these goals. As Samuels
said, “You need to develop that level of professionalism
and build upon those skills for careers and responsibilities
later in life.”

7

AYL
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“Time does not change us. It just unfolds us.”
-Max Frisch

REPORTER RECOMMENDS:
COMPLETE YOUR BACKLOG!

AT YOUR LEISURE
by William Hirsh |

STREAM OF FACTS

design by Mariah Jade Cole

Have a pile of games you have never

The largest bank heist in JAPANESE history

played? Do you ever long to read tomes but

was a total of $5.4 million. The bank robbers,

can’t seem to find the time? Or have you ever

backlog, try sites like The Backloggery or

after completing the heist, sent a note to the
bank they stole from, writing “Thank you
very much for the bonus. We can live off this
LOOT for life.”
In Antwerp, Belgium, the largest theft of
diamonds occurred in February 2003 and
was valued between 20 million and 100
million euros. The LOOT was never found and
MISSING to this day.
remains
James Brown, both during live performances
and in the recording studio, would fine
members of his band for MISSING notes or
cues. The fines would sometimes TOTAL up
to $100.

How Long to Beat to network with other

If the Library of Congress’ catalog was

struggling backloggers and compare your

quantified in terms of data, it would TOTAL 15

progress. For books, try the ever-popular

terabytes. In contrast, the

Goodreads. Catalog the books you’ve read

of Shakespeare can fit into 5MB.

wanted to discover the classic films you’ve
always missed the pop culture references
too? Now is the time! Not literally, but it
can be the start of your journey through the
mammoth collection of media that mankind
has to offer!
For games, create a list of every title you
left unfinished and just give it a whirl. This
can be done through a simple Word or Excel
document. For a more comprehensive and
social way to keep track of your gaming

WORD OF THE MONTH
Bacchanal (noun):
A time for drunken revelry.

Sentence
With the first month of freshman year past
them, Ted and his friends had a bacchanal
that left them indisposed the next day.

PANTOUM
Description: This is a Malaysian poetry style
adapted by French writers. It is a series of
quatrains in which the second and fourth
lines of the first stanza are used for the first
and third of the next.

COMPLETE works
I can’t wake in the morning

by various shelves, set yearly reading goals

The iconic pause button symbol found on

and even continue adding to your to-read

all TV remotes and various devices originates

Rolled back into my bedding

list. Plan ahead your movie nights using

from a music notation symbol, the caesura.

My schedule’s on the fritz

sites like IMDB.

The caesura, when seen on sheet music,

As for finding time for this media, you have
to look back at tenets of time management.
Block out your busy schedules but don’t be

directs the musician to come to a
stop when

COMPLETE

PLAYING.

During World War II, the Bicycle

I’ve smashed my alarm to bits

I’ve smashed my alarm to bits
Rolled back into my slumber

PLAYING

My schedule’s on the fritz

afraid to squeze in time to catch up on that

Card Company created a deck of cards that

game you bought several months ago in a

was sent to prisoners of war in German

bundle, that new book you’ve been pining for

camps. When the cards came into contact

Rolled back into my slumber

ever since it was announced or even watch

with moisture, they would peel away to show

My schedule has no fix.

a gem like “Jaws” or “The Godfather” trilogy

escape routes for the captured soldiers.

I feel completely encumbered.

for the first time. Just don’t forget you might

I feel completely encumbered

Does anyone know sleep tricks?

have an assignment due the next day.

COMIC

by Emily DeVault

99
9

ICEAGE
Brigade.” Along with the collection of angular

the album, is incredibly moving, featuring a

“YOURʼE NOTHING” REVIEW

scorchers that were featured on the album

marching bass-line and a somber piano over

came a great deal of chatter about Iceage’s

which Rønnenfelt cries, “If I could leave my

by Alex Jones |

members’ ages (at the time they averaged

body, then I would. Bleed into a lake, dashing

design by Mariah Jade Cole

around 17 or 18) and the intensity and

away, disappear.”

violence that their live shows evoked. Now

“You’re Nothing” closes with the barn-

two years later with “You’re Nothing,” Iceage

burning title track which bursts forth with

has finally separated themselves enough

glorious bent-string fury and what appears

from their own mystery to create a record

to be Iceage’s mission statement: “That’s

that truly stands on its own.

right, you’re nothing. Feel the void grow.”

“You’re Nothing” opens with the massive

While a particularly bleak message on paper,

guitar swell and resulting caterwaul of

the track feels like it’s almost bursting at the

the appropriately titled “Ecstasy,” where

seams with youthful optimism. Clocking in

eternally-breathless front man Elias Bender

at just around two minutes, the band sounds

Rønnenfelt howls, “What shade of joy will hit

like they’re spinning out of control and

me first? I hope it lasts,” with the honesty and

reveling in every last second of it. The cries

intensity that only someone his age could

of “You’re nothing!” that close the album

muster. Album highlight “Coalition” follows,

aren’t an angst-ridden aural black cloud but

finding Iceage taking a crack at writing a “girl

rather a ray of hope that seems to encourage

Released by Matador Records in February 2013

problems” song in an appropriately brainy

the listener to take solace in their cosmic

O

yet vague way (“She gives me signals but our

insignificance and as clichéd as it may seem,

ne of the consistent disappointments or

hearts are not the same”, “Something denies

make the most of each and every day.

highlights of being a punk fan is listening to

coalition with you”) and the buzz saw guitars

Iceage could have broken up directly after

the sophomore album of a band you like. In

and the chant of “Excess!” that follow in the

the release of “New Brigade” and cemented

most cases, the youthful fury and nihilistic

chorus cause the whole experience to be a

themselves in history as a moment-in-time,

self-destruction that go hand in hand with

singularly amazing piece of music.

“you had to be there” folk tale, but “You’re

punk tends to cause bands to completely

Like so many bands before them, Iceage

Nothing” showcases a band brave (and

burn out before they can enter the studio or

take more liberties with experimentation on

young) enough to push forward and take

to half-heartedly release something bland

their sophomore album. While the jagged

some serious risks along the way. It could

and uninspired. However, there are rare

riffs and moaned chorus of “In Haze” and the

have been a complete failure and Iceage

occasions in which a punk band’s second

anthem-like “Everything Drifts” (“Raise your

could have exited the punk lexicon with their

record is just as good if not better than their

fist for the depraved roses, raise it today”) are

tails tucked between their legs, but “You’re

highly lauded debut. With their second

undeniable punk gems, what makes “You’re

Nothing” is a near-perfect punk record whose

LP “You’re Nothing,” Danish post-punkers

Nothing”

twenty-six minutes are worth every single

Iceage have done exactly that, in a truly awe-

record are the tracks where Iceage pull back

inspiring way.

on the reins and give their songs a bit more

a

full-formed

and

captivating

Iceage first entered the collective punk

room to breathe. The dark, industrial dirge

consciousness in 2011 when they tore

of “Interlude” is an excellent change of pace

through the Copenhagen DIY punk scene

from the teeth-gritting ferocity of the rest of

with their ferocious debut album “New

the record. “Morals,” arguably the best song on

10

Leisure | October 2013

second of your time.
For Fans Of: Hüsker Dü, Savages, Wipers

AMNESIA
While not developed solely by Frictional

can also inspect the monsters now, since

“A MACHINE FOR PIGS” REVIEW

Games, The Chinese Room is well-known

the sanity mechanics have been removed.

in indie circles for their mod/game “Dear

Yet most of the core gameplay remains

by Nick Bovee |

Esther,” an incredibly immersive storytelling

the same and the improved storytelling

design by Kathryn Eble

experience. This partnership obviously did

is more than enough to make up for the

wonders for the game, as each developer has

altered mechanics.

particular strengths.
Frictional Games knows the mechanics of

DEVELOPER: The Chinese Room
PLATFORM: Windows/Mac/Linux
PRICE: $19.99

fear and suspense, whereas The Chinese Room

For fans of: Penumbra: Overture, Anna,
Cryostasis

can tell a story and create compelling scenes.
These strengths were played to, as “A Machine
for Pigs” has more expansive environments
than its predecessor and a more personal and
well-written story, with improved atmosphere
and fear at the same time.
Horror and fear in “The Dark Descent”
hinged on player involvement in the story and
“A Machine for Pigs” is no different. Scares
take a backseat to atmosphere, because
every noise and motion builds up a player’s
alertness and paranoia. There’s no need for
big jump scares when the game keeps players
consistently fearful.
Strong design is also a lynchpin of
Machine

J

for

Pigs.”

Monsters

are

“A
less

frequent, but much better timed. Players
ump scares prey on a natural human

are immediately taunted with fever dreams,

response. Many games and movies try

laughing children, wind, creaking boards

to create truly terrifying and grotesque

and screeching metal. Fear comes from the

imagery to shock viewers, but this

unknown and never knowing exactly what

fear lasts only a moment. Real fear is

is making the noises around you or where

something only our imaginations can

they're coming from is terrifying.

create and this is where Frictional Games

Visual effects are similar to “The Dark

excels over other horror developers. The

Descent,” with just a bit more pig gore than

creators of “Penumbra” and “Amnesia:

before, but the immersive elements are what

The Dark Descent,” Frictional knows

actually drive home the feelings of unease

their way to striking terror without even

and helplessness. Immersion is designed into

needing to show monsters on screen.

the control scheme; the player uses gestures

Paired with developer The Chinese

made with a mouse to mimic hand motions

Room, the standards originally set are

in game. The character moves at a measured

exceeded in the sequel “Amnesia:

walking pace, has no HUD and just enough

A

Machine for Pigs”.
Amnesia

strays

head bob to feel like real motion.
formulaic

“A Machine for Pigs” isn’t without flaws,

jump scares and focuses on outdoing

unfortunately. Several game elements were

its predecessor's strengths. The game

changed from “The Dark Descent” — namely

is

much

the removal of tinder for your lantern. Light

that even deliberate efforts to break

is a comfort and some scarcity to it wouldn’t

immersion while reviewing did nothing

be amiss. Moments of sheer panic are also

to stop myself from being sucked into

less common, but have been traded in for

the character.

the constant unease and paranoia. Players

extremely

from

immersive,

so

11
11

TESTING FROM THE Pumpkin Patch
by William Hirsh, Michelle Spoto and Dave Utt | photography by Mackenzie Harris | design by Melissa Cavallaro and Kathryn Eble

Reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back again with a swing at some of
the seasonal goods youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll come across this fall.
This time our Taste Testing Team took a look at
three pumpkin infused products to decide which
are autumn delights or marketing disasters.

12

Leisure | October 2013

Meet our team
of TASTE TESTERS
MICHELLE SPOTO
Fourth year Biomedical
Science major

DAVID UTT
Third year New Media Design
major

1

FLAVOR RATING
Low:

2

EDDY’S PUMPKIN PATCH
ICE CREAM
Pumpkin flavor balance: High
Price: $6

Mediocre amount of pumpkin flavoring.

Medium: More traditional but somewhat lacking.
High:

WILLIAM HIRSH
Third year Journalism major

Pure pumpkin essence.

WEGMAN’S PUMPKIN BREAD
Pumpkin flavor balance: Medium
Price: $5

A well-known goody, this pumpkin bread went over well
with the group. Utt felt that, “It’s a unique variation on the
pumpkin flavor, being less sweet and more tart.” The spongy
soft and moist texture of the bread also contributed to its
ranking. Spoto enjoyed the texture, but also felt it had “an
aftertaste like the spices you put on meat.” Though you might
need a chaser, this is a yummy comfort food and a classic
fall staple.

With “lots of pumpkin flavor and well-balanced spices,”
according to Spoto, Eddy’s Pumpkin Patch Ice Cream proved
to be the best tasting treat. Utt called it “a blend that works
majestically” and we all agreed that it was simply delicious.
While a tad rich when eaten in large amounts, this ice cream
is the paragon of pumpkin bliss.

3

PUMPKIN PIE M&Ms
Pumpkin flavor balance: Low
Price: $3

Pumpkin M&Ms had a lot of potential but ultimately fell
short in the tasting bracket. Overall, we felt there was too
much cinnamon and not enough of the iconic pumpkin
flavor. Spoto said, “The only pumpkin thing about this
candy was the color.” Essentially regular M&Ms with a dash
of cinnamon, this is not something you should go out of
your way to try. To get your M&M fix, we’d recommend just
picking up a Halloween grab bag.

13

You don’t need a car.
It’s funny how far college students will cut their expenses,
from living off of frozen meals and freeze-dried noodles
to spending late nights searching uTorrent for pirated
copies of their textbooks, without making this realization.
Instead, they’ll shell out 100 dollars a year to park on
campus, pay monthly insurance fees and drop an untold
amount of money into gas tanks if they so much as want
to hit a downtown nightclub once a week.

Some roads in Rochester are better than others. At the end
of the day, it’s up to you - the biker - to be safe. To do so, first

figure out what kind
of biker you are.

All of it could be avoided by just
investing in a nice
how to get around.

& knowing

Are you a serious speed-junky, a mountaineer or a hippie-chick with a
sundress and a cruiser? If you are already accustomed to biking, adapting
to the road really isn’t difficult. If you’re a super laid-back rider, learn
how to stay in a position where cars are able to pass you. If you’re new
to the road, practicing on streets where there are no dedicated lanes is
the best way to truly get a feel for how traffic carries out on a bike. It
may seem a little backwards, but practicing biking in places where bikes
don’t have a designated place is a more natural way to learn. Bike lanes,
while reassuring, are far from a blanket of safety on the road. If anything,
they give a false sense of comfort for both drivers and cyclists. For RIT
students, cruising around John Street and hitting the side streets is a good
way to practice riding.

For RIT students, the practicality of biking is
becoming more and more feasible with the
progression of the Genesee Transportation
Authority’s cycling master plan. Put forward
in 2011 to help turn Rochester into a more
bike-friendly community, they have

ADDED 16 MILES total of
BIKE LANES into the city.
All in all, the Rochester roads are more pedalaccessible than ever.

When this gets old and you’re ready to hit the city,
head on down: just simply follow East Henrietta
to Mt. Hope Road and ride right down to Clinton
Avenue. While it is a very traffic-heavy and often
fast-paced ride, any moderately in shape cyclist
can make the ride from RIT to downtown in a
half hour or so.

It all sounds great doesn’t it? Now
the streets are safe for bikers and you can save your money by
selling off that silly old car, right? Well, not quite. These bike
lanes that the master plans have created are often deeply and
tragically flawed in ways that seem to suggest cyclists should
just disappear in the middle of their ride. A perfect example of
this can be found on East Henrietta road, where a mile or so of
a perfectly good bike lane simply ends at an overpass, forcing
the rider to either move into the road and merge with traffic or
hop off onto a rather poorly maintained sidewalk. Even worse
are the phantom lanes found in heavily trafficked areas of the
city — namely on Monroe avenue. On these, there is no real bike
lane. You aren’t separated from traffic, as the road is too thin to
divide, but are rather given a little biker symbol on the pavement
that gives you about as much protection from traffic as a voodoo
protection spell.

Once downtown, all of the good bars, clubs and restaurants are
easily reached on two wheels. Head down to the South Wedge
through one of the most bike-optimized streets in Rochester,
South avenue or hit East avenue where bikes can ride with cars
almost entirely without fear. Or, if you’re up for some urban
exploring, nearly the entire inner city, from Dewey Avenue in
Greece to East Main, has bike lanes that are prominent and wellmaintained. So get out there and ride before the snow comes
tumbling in and the ground freezes solid — there’s a whole
world out there just waiting to be ridden.

On the way back from a Rolling Stones concert in Canada,
this is the last question the man driving through the border

Ancient cultures had many differing views on tattoos.

stop expected to hear. The guard had already double-checked

Pagan Europeans were often tattooed with figures or natural

his citizenship, so something must have caught his attention.

patterns, until outlawed under Christianity’s spreading

There was a Smith & Wesson branded overnight bag in the

influence. In China and 18th century Japan, tattoos were

back, but there was no way the guard saw that and definitely

associated with the barbaric or uncultured. Criminals were

not before the guard caught sight of the driver’s bare arms.

marked in many cultures as a means of easy identification

Brightly colored, Gary Proud, 1967 Accounting alumnus,

or punishment. Other cultures used tattoos as a way of

has two full sleeve tattoos. The left, a colorful mural of classic

showing achievement and social status. Samoan boys were

rock bands such as Steppenwolf, The Doors, Johnny Cash

ritualistically tattooed as a rite of passage into manhood and

and the like. His right, covered in the symbolism of his Greek

some in the Philippines held that tattoos could be magical.

brotherhood, Phi Kappa Tau. “I think he gave me the third

Tattoos in America started with seamen seeking ways to

degree because I had the tattoos. He probably thought I’d

establish their identity and therefore American citizenship to

just gotten out of prison,” said Proud. Combing through the

avoid impressment into England’s Royal Navy. As popularity

car, the guard only found a Rolling Stones t-shirt and silently

of tattoos grew with sailors, they began appearing in the

handed Proud his passport back.
With Proud as an exception, tattoos are a common

public eye more and more often. By the 1870s, professional
tattoo artists were registered in both England and America.

flashpoint between the younger, early adulthood generations

Getting tattooed was popular with aristocrats and the rich,

and our elders. Parents and grandparents say “you’ll regret

until the creation of the tattoo machine lowered the cost of

that in a few years” and make snide comments about how

procedures, removing the associated prestige.

ink fades or skin sags, but their foremost thought is usually

Tattoos therefore gained a reputation for deviants and

that tattoos are a sign of association with the wrong kind

social outcasts. Theories abounded that not only was a

of people. It is true that tattoos have some association with

tattoo a sign of a criminal but that getting one would lead

gangs or prisons, but the stereotype that only criminals or

to deviancy in the future. Getting inked was then highly

other unsavory individuals get inked is completely wrong.

rebellious, even seeing high regulation and bans in some

Tattoos, piercings and all forms of body art are rapidly

places on the East Coast.

gaining acceptance and popularity in all walks of life.

18
19

MODERN ERA
By the early 1970s, safety regulations
had improved and professionals with fine
art experience and training had joined the
growing ranks of tattoo artists. Despite this
newfound safety and talent, tattoos had not
yet reached the popular eye, retaining the
highly

stigmatized

counterculture

image.

Then, rock and roll changed everything.
Musicians who embraced their bizarre and
extreme self-images were suddenly thrust
into pop culture and in part altered the
perception of tattoos with their star power.
This rebranding established tattoos as an
expensive investment and an expression
of oneself. Aesthetic value is now a central
idea when tattoos are discussed. Rather
than relate tattoos to a tribe or community,
they have become a method to create ties
to oneself. In the fast-paced lifestyle of the
21st century, many find it necessary to have a
permanent reminder of who they are.
“It is far more acceptable today to see people
at work, know they’re tattooed and even to
see visible signs of the tattoos,” said Manny
Contomanolis, associate vice president and
director of RIT’s Office of Co-ops and Career
Services. “It’s not relevant to what people are
doing anymore.”
This view is partially responsible for the
increasing popularity of tattoos in younger
generations. For instance, nearly 40 percent
of Millennials are tattooed, according to a
2010 Pew Research Center report. This is a
big rise in just a few generations considering
that only 15 percent of the Baby Boomer
generation

was

inked.

Of

the

younger

generation’s tattoos, 70 percent can be easily
hidden by clothing. Some tattoos take a
little more effort to hide but of the tattooed
population studied, only 18 percent of people
said that their tattoos are usually visible.
Tattoos have become more celebrated
through television shows like “Ink Master”
or “Best Ink,” where the artists themselves
become the promoters of their art rather
than celebrities. Shows like “Bad Ink” and
“Tattoo Nightmares” show off the worst tattoo
around, while simultaneously showing off
the skill some artists have in covering up
bad art with good design. Even making bad
tattoos visible helps the public find them
more acceptable, especially when they’re in
the process of being fixed.

20 Features | October 2013
16 Features | September 2013

PERMANENT CONCERNS
That’s not to say the negative stereotypes

want to keep a cleaner public image, and that

that the bank has “no formal policy about

of tattoos are gone, merely dulled. Having

does not involve tattoos. Exceptions exist

tattoos because we value our differences

a tattoo has become more acceptable, but

of course, notably creative groups, where

and recognize that diversity and inclusion

having a visible tattoo in most professional

ornamentation can be a sign that you are

are good for our business and make our

settings is not. You should be “sensitive to

right-brained.

company stronger.” With a large portion of

how you display your tattoos,” Contomanolis

visible

this generation sporting ink, there are more

explained. Tattoos on your upper arm or legs

body art are fewer than expected. Artists

companies beginning to compromise past

are easily concealable and few companies

and designers do fine with visible tattoos.

policies against tattoos for fresh talent.

would give you trouble for those. Full sleeves

Similarly, chefs are often in the clear, as

Speaking generally, if a company doesn’t

are more of an issue since they are only

customers care more about how their food

have hard and fast rules about tattoos, as

concealable with a long sleeve shirt. Some

tastes than if you have a full color koi fish

long as they are not prominently displayed

of the hardest tattoos to get away with in a

on your arm. Contomanolis also believes

they will not be too much of a strike against

business setting are neck tattoos, since they

that technology jobs tend to have internally

an applicant during an interview. Visible

are difficult to conceal.

fostered a neutral disposition toward body

tattoos are judged on more of a case by case

Neck tattoos take a progressive workplace

art. “[Employees are] valued for their talents

basis. Companies tend to look and see if the

to get away with, or a job description that does

above all else,” said Contomanolis. In this

tattoo is offensive or distracting, and then let

not involve public relations. Contomanolis

industry, people’s skills matter more than

applicable skills speak for themselves. If you

gave some more clarification: “There are

their outside appearance.

are not sure how a company views tattoos,

settings where you’re interacting with the

Careers

Slowly,

that

other

allow

prominent

industries

seem

to

be

public … and certain tattoos might not be

catching on. In a 2013 Forbes article, Bank of

appropriate.” Generally,

America spokeswoman Ferris Morrison stated

most

companies

ask someone at the company before the
interview.

I M M E D I AT E C O N C E R N S
Before getting a tattoo, make sure to take

on the inside of your lip, you might go from

Tattoos certainly are not the culmination

into consideration the risks posed by an

culturally relevant to comically regretful in

of body art, but they are the most

inexperienced or unhygienic artist. HIV and

the time it takes to Instagram that new ink.

prominent form today. Less permanent

Hepatitis are transmissible if needles aren’t

Because of the meaning behind each of his

means of expression, like colored hair

properly taken care of, and infection can

tattoos, Proud seems to have little to no regret.

dyes, have become more accepted. Body

set in if aftercare is not properly managed.

“All of these have stories,” Proud smiled.

modifications like tongue splitting, facial

“Don’t just go into any storefront,” Proud

“These are all music groups,” gesturing to his

implants, saline injections or scarification

advised. “Choose an artist by referral. I asked

left arm, and his right is all his brotherhood.

are still far outside the public eye, much

two people I knew, and they recommended

He continued: “on my back, in the center, is

like the taboo nature of tattoos were

me to the same guy.” Call the country health

my family crest.”

decades ago. Last decade’s counter-culture

department to find records of complaints

and

becomes today’s culture, but there will

corporate acceptance, it is obvious tattoos

always be conservative forces that dislike

That is well and good for physical health,

are not fully in the range of what the public

tattoos or body art to some degree.

but if you end up with a tattoo you hate, it

considers normal. After all, with the large

will wear on you mentally. Laser removal

percentage of tattoos being hidden, it is

is painful and cover-ups may not entirely

apparent that there is pressure on prospective

do the trick so make sure your tattoo can

tattoo recipients to choose locations that are

stand the test of time. With a “YOLO” tattoo

easy to conceal.

before you commit to a shop as well.

Despite

this

newfound

cultural

21
17
21

Getting Under Your
Skin: The Art of
Microdermals
by Alyssa Jackson | design by Autumn Wadsworth

The Process
of the Piercing
For my most recent microdermal I decided to go to
a tattoo parlor in Rochester.
My first set of microdermals is located on my
stomach, so this time I decided to pierce my arm, a
few inches above my wrist. The arm was significantly
more sensitive than my stomach was, but still didn’t
hurt more than a bellybutton piercing would. The
process itself took less than two minutes.
My piercer was Khary Paradise, owner and founder
of the shop. He had me lie down on my back and

I

walked into a tattoo parlor to get my belly button pierced – again

place my arm at my side. He then grabbed a small

– after my skin rejected it the first time. The piercer took one look

section of the skin and inserted the dermal anchor

and told me that I would never be able to have my belly button

into my arm. The dermal punch – the tool used to

pierced again, but that I could try getting a different piercing:

insert the dermal anchor – creates the hole where

something called a microdermal.

the dermal anchor is later inserted. The dermal

I was soon informed that microdermals are piercings that are

anchor is pushed vertically into the skin and then

inserted under the skin rather than through it. They are often called

rotated until it is horizontal. After this, the jewel

single point piercings because they have an entrance hole but don’t exit

or decorative piece is screwed into the stem of the

the skin. The piercing is made up of two parts: a dermal anchor and the

the skin. It is designed to be mostly flat with holes for the skin tissue to

but I noticed with the arm piercing there was more

grow around and secure the piercing in place. This part of the piercing

blood. Paradise assured me this was normal. When

is meant to be parallel with the skin above it. The anchor also has a

asked if these piercings were more dangerous than

stem that protrudes slightly outside of the piercing site. Once inside

other types of piercings, he replied with a laugh.

the skin you do not see the anchor at all. The jewel piece then screws

“Definitely not,” he said. “As long as they are put

into the stem of the anchor creating the appearance of a jewel sitting

in correctly by a professional and are taken care of

directly on the skin.

properly, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

This procedure stems from the techniques used in pocketing, or
piercings where the middle of a bar is showing while the ends of the
bar are placed under the skin, and transdermal implants, which are
larger than microdermals and involve creating an incision to place the
anchor in the skin. Although there is no time frame for when these
body modifications were first performed, most websites refer to the
piercings as a “relatively new” trend.

22
18

Features || October
20132013
Features
September
Features | September 2013

Benefits
and Risks
As with any body modification, there are pros and cons that

and chest area. There are less limitations and therefore

everyone should be aware of before getting this piercing. As great as

more freedom for you to modify more areas of your body.

I’m sure your friend is with that piercing gun or dermal punch, the

This procedure is also minimally invasive and

best option is to find a trained professional who will make sure to

relatively

explain any risks and answer any questions you may have.

differently, Paradise explained that most microdermal

Before beginning my piercing, Paradise was careful to make me
aware of the issues I may face. “This takes a long time to heal,” he
explained. “You have to be careful not to bump it or pull it, or it will
be ripped out.”

safe.

Although

everyone’s

skin

reacts

piercings heal just fine. These piercings also heal much
more quickly than surface piercings.
And one of the best benefits? These piercings are still
pretty unique. I love having people ask about my hip

He went on to explain that the healing time for the microdermal

microdermals and explaining the process to them. For a

is around two months. This time period ensures that the tissue has

body modification junkie like me, these piercings are a

healed around the dermal anchor and secured the piercing into my

fun and beautiful way to help you stand out.

skin. If I do bump it or snag it on something before it is completely
healed, my body will begin to reject the piercing. Once this rejection
has begun it cannot be stopped. Therefore, one con of the microdermal
piercing is that I will be wearing a Band-Aid over it for the next eight
weeks – not exactly my idea of pretty.
Another issue with the piercing is the common removal process.
Although some sites suggest that removing a microdermal piercing
yourself is acceptable in certain circumstances, both of the piercers
who have done my microdermals have advised against this. The
most common way to remove the piercing involves using a scalpel to
cut the piercing out of your skin. This is the safest and least painful
process. There are some instances of this where scarring occured,
but usually the skin heals completely.
Despite these risks, there are many benefits to microdermal
piercings. For instance, these piercings can be placed nearly
anywhere on the body. Some common sites are the hips, back, neck

23
23
19

Scarification
Scarification refers to the practice of
creating permanent marks by cutting into
the skin with sharp knives. The results are
similar to a tattoo, but without the ink. Some
scarification also includes skin removal,
which creates open wounds that eventually
scab up and heal to create more “filled in”
scars. Before this body modification gained
headway in modern culture, it originated
in primitive tribes around the globe as an
initiation ritual for young tribesmen. In
most cases, blood is a sacrifice to the gods
or spirits. Modern scarification is “partly
spurred by a nostalgia for a different type of
society” and the desire to be different, said

A MULTITUDE

Victoria Pitts, professor of sociology at the
City University of New York in an interview
with National Geographic.

Branding
Branding is another alternative to the
traditional ink tattoo. Similar to scarification,
it is likewise permanent. There are three

On a college campus, it is no surprise to see

ways to do this in the professional world of

blue hair, ten piercings on each ear or even

branding: striking, which uses heated strips

a sleeve of tattoos. But body modification

of stainless steel; cautery, which employs a

beyond the accepted norm can go above the

heating tool known for its ability to reduce

threshold of pain most people are willing

bleeding during surgery; and moxabustion,

to experience. Burning skin, implants in

which involves burning incense on the skin.

eyeballs … that is only the beginning. There

Branding is unfortunately well-known due

are endless ways to modify your body — be

to its use in the days of slavery. Nowadays,

it simple holes or permanent art.

for many it is just another body modification
option.

Corset Piercings
Corsets, though an item of beauty from
the early days, are still in fashion. Modern
body artists can now create the corset look
without the garment. The participants in
such art can get anything from the skin of
their back to the front of their throats pierced
with lines of rings in an hourglass fashion,
such that that a ribbon can lace through
each piercing. Many health concerns come
with this kind of piercing, however, and it
is frowned upon by some medical experts.
Piercing the skin and then pulling the
pierced holes apart with ribbon can easily
cause infections of the open wounds and, as
recently noted by respected surgeons, awful
scarring and painful healing can result.
| October 2013
Sports | September
2013
24 Features
24

Neck Elongation

Eyeball Implants

Suspension Piercing

A common body modification
modification in other

A new type of body modification
modification gaining

Suspension piercing can be consider
considered

parts of the world—namely Thailand—is

popularity in the Netherlands is called

a more extreme version of corset piercing.

elongation of the neck. Adult women can

JewelEye, also referred to as an eyeball implant.

Belts are strapped to the piercings, which are

wear up to about 25 coils around their

The piercing is placed in the conjunctiva of

on different places of the body, depending

necks, creating a great distance between

the eye (a thin layer just outside the white of

on what points the subject wants to be

their heads and shoulders. Children of the

the eye). As of this year, no conclusive health

suspended in the air from. This act brings the

Kayan people, a tribe in Thailand, get their

concerns have arose from the procedure,

suspenders to a unique level of pain only felt

first coils around the age of five and a ring

but eye implants have little to no popularity

through such an activity. Although this pain

is added every now and then as the child

in the United States. Visionary Eyecare, a

may seem extreme, enjoyers of suspension

grows and matures. While this type of body

blog for optometrists stationed in America,

do this for a number of reasons, including

modification is called neck elongation, the

shared a post that clearly disagrees with the

spiritual enlightenment.

neck structure is not being stretched out; the

procedure. The writer expressed concerns

collar bone and shoulders are being pressed

regarding infections resulting from opening

down, creating the illusion of a long neck. In

the conjunctiva and the possible visionary

their society, it is a form of extreme elegance.

problems that can come from these infections.

Pearling
Pearling is not something people often see.

Elfing
Elfing

Literally. This procedure is a bit more invasive
than your average piercing because of its

Gerevics was a standout pitcher for
Tigers Softball as an undergraduate.
Her freshman year in 2001, her team
competed in the NCAA championships
and during her third year they won the
ECAC Upstate Division III championship.
She holds RIT’s records for most career
wins (55), shutouts (22) and strikeouts
(513). Gerevics credits her team as the
engine for her successful seasons: “Each
year, we always had a team that worked
really well together on and off the field.”
Gerevics continues to play and coach
softball today. She was an assistant
coach for RIT Softball and now she is an
assistant coach at Nazareth College.
Her advice to current students is
simple: “take full advantage of everything
you can learn from the people around
you, because [college is] really where you
become the individual that you bring to
the world.”

26

Sports | October 2013

Kasie Strong-Fairburn

Molly Urquhart

Packaging Science B.S., 2005
Hockey

Industrial Design B.F.A., 2003
Track and Field

“I used to tell my line-mates, ‘Pass the
puck to me, I’ll pass it right back,’” said
Strong-Fairbarn. This unselfishness with
the puck led to her former record of 83
career assists. Though she is now second
in career assists at RIT, her assist record is
one of her proudest accomplishments as a
player here, she said. The two-year captain
also holds RIT records for most goals in a
game (5) and most points in a game (8).
Strong-Fairbarn began her coaching
career with youth all-girl teams in
Texas, helping those programs to grow.
She continued to play and coach in
Germany and Norway, but is now taking
a maternity break. She hopes to coach
again in the future.
One of the best parts of hockey at RIT,
for her, were the bonds formed that still
remain. “Even though you were on a team
with them for a year or two, or maybe
some people four years, they still are part
of your family,” she said. “We had a close
family, and that was great. We had a lot of
success, and we had a lot of fun.”

“If it was an athlete culture all the time
[at RIT], I would have burnt out,” said
Urquhart. She could not find a Division I
school that allowed her to participate in
track and field as well as study art. RIT,
she said, “allowed me to be able to pursue
both of my passions.” She added, “I’m very
proud of my education at RIT.”
Urquhart is only the second Women’s
Cross Country/Track and Field inductee in
the Hall of Fame. According to RIT Athletics,
she has “two All-American titles in the long
jump; she is the school record holder in the
outdoor long jump, outdoor high jump and
indoor pentathlon.” She is most proud of
her second place long jump in the NCAA
nationals, still the third longest jump
in Division III. The jump was even more
special for Urquhart because her entire
family – visiting for graduation – got to see
the record jump. “It definitely ended RIT on
a high note,” she said.
After she graduated, she started
training for triathlons, because there were
no track and field clubs in her area. “It’s
much more fun to sprint 100 meters and
long jump than it is to go run three miles,”
she concluded.

“We were the only undefeated team in the history of RIT,” said 1955 alumnus Ross
DiBiase. In the final three years that RIT athletes called themselves Techmen, DiBiase
captained the RIT Wrestling squad. Several members of that team have already made it
into the RIT Athletics Hall of Fame; now it’s DiBiase’s turn, along with five other athletes.
Every year for 44 years, RIT Athletics has inducted a handful of players into its
Hall of Fame. This October, six former college athletes will be recognized. The 2013
inductees vary in age and sport, but they have their athletic excellence in common.

Lloyd Kaplan

Ray Ruliffson

Ross DiBiase

Electrical Engineering B.S., 1970
Swimming and Diving

Industrial Engineering B.S., 1975
Wrestling

Food Administration and Hotel
Management B.S., 1955
Wrestling

Ruliffson recalls one memorable
RIT Invitational: “I had beaten a
fellow that was the champion in that
weight class the year before.” Ruliffson
was also named Most Outstanding
Wrestler for that invitational. He
didn’t stop with beating the champion
though: he became the champion in
1972, according to RIT Athletics. Over
the course of the 1972-1973 season,
Ruliffson earned an 11-0-2 record. He
also co-captained for two years.
Ruliffson got back into wrestling for a
few years as an assistant coach at Avon
Central High School in Avon, N.Y.

DiBiase said the most memorable bit
about RIT wrestling was executing an
undefeated season. “It was great then
because our wrestling schedule was Cornell
University, Edinboro; they’re [among] the
top ten teams in the United States today.”
After he graduated, DiBase went on
to referee for over 15 years, starting
the Wrestling Officials Association for
Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County. He
coached wrestling at Fredonia High School
in Fredonia, N.Y., the top wrestling high
school in New York, according to DiBiase.
He also became a black belt in judo and
karate and taught both.
DiBiase has been under consideration
for the Hall of Fame for many years, and
many of his former teammates inducted
in previous years have been asking that he
be added to the Hall of Fame. He said about
his long-anticipated induction: “I’m very
happy with it because it brings back a lot of
memories and a lot of former athletes that
fought for it.”

Throughout high school, Kaplan was an
all-county wrestler – he had never been on
a swimming or diving team until he joined
his first year at RIT. “I worked really hard
at it,” he said, alongside his coach, who
taught him “all of the basics, all the way up
through an advanced list of dives. I had to
work harder than everybody else, because I
didn’t do it in age groups and I didn’t do it
in high school.”
He remembers his last year diving here:
“RIT finished in the top three in nationals.
We had a great year, great team…that was
a culmination of all my years. To place so
well at the national level for the team, that
was clearly a highlight.”
After graduation, Kaplan co-founded the
Pacific Diving Club in southern California
as part of the U.S. Masters Diving program.
He then continued competing for ten years.

27
27

YOU’VE GOT MAIL
by Nathan J. Lichtenstein | illustration by David Royka | design by Zach Cross
The opinions expressed are soley those of the author and do not reflect the views of REPORTER

Y

ou can usually tell when the post office
has distributed junk mail without even
checking your box. The floors of the
Nathaniel Rochester Hall (NRH) Post Office
are littered fliers while the recycling bins in
Global Village are stuffed to the brim with
Chinese takeout menus and coupons for
Shear Global.
Mass mailings are an antiquated form
of advertising that generates a lot of paper
waste. We live in a digital world where
paper does not pack the same punch it
used to. If ordering takeout, you can just
look up the menu online. The irrelevance
of these coupons and advertisements
result in them being thrown out, recycled
or pushed back into the mailbox and then
onto the floor of the post office.
In recent years RIT administrators have
taken numerous steps to become a more
green university. There are three Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
certified buildings (plus an additional three
buildings that have yet to be ranked) and the
initiative to phase out plastic water bottles
campus-wide is currently in its final stages.
For such an environmentally progressive
university to participate in such a wasteful
practice is more than a bit confusing.
Since 2008, RIT has participated in
RecycleMania, a challenge between
colleges to encourage waste reduction and
recycling. During the 2013 RecycleMania
challenge RIT participated in several
categories. Among them were the grand
champion category, which according to
RecycleMania’s website “combines trash
and each of the core recyclable materials
s recycling ra
to determine a school
school’s
rate
as a percentage of its overall was
waste
generation” and the waste minimizatio
minimization
category, in which, “Schools compete to
see which produces the least amou
amount
of both recyclables and trash on a p
per
person basis.”

28

Views | October 2013

In the grand champion category, RIT
landed 56 out of 273 competitors. Yet
in the waste minimization category RIT
disappointed, ending up 135 of 167 schools.
These numbers show that while RIT is overall
an environmentally friendly school, it still
distributes a lot of waste material.
Many people know the three ‘R’s’ of being
green: reduce, reuse and recycle. The R3 @ RIT
campaign stands for these same principals.
Yet, it seems that RIT needs to readdress the
meaning of the first ‘R’: reduce. Reduce means
to stop waste at the source and eliminating
paper waste is not a new concept when it
comes to being environmentally friendly.
“I honestly feel as though, even though
every once in a while there is a worthwhile
discount in there; for the most part it really
isn’t worth it,” says Tim Miller, second year
Electrical Engineering major and employee at
the RIT post office. Miller said he believes that

discontinuing the distribution of junk mail
would be a great way for RIT to cut down on
paper waste.
Assistant director of Hub Print/Postal
Services Scott Boone and manager of campus
Post Offices Meghan McDonald issued a joint
statement to Reporter regarding the future of
print advertisements at RIT: “If the students
served by the NRH and [Global Village] Post
Offices do not want or use the coupons, flyers
etc. that are distributed, we certainly are
willing to investigate phasing out the practice.”
The less waste that is introduced into our
campus environment, the less trash and
recyclables will be generated. Being green
is about taking little measures every day to
live a more ecofriendly life. Encouraging the
discontinuation of paper junk mail here at RIT
is a great place for us all to start.

Word
on the
Street

“If you got a tattoo, what
would you get and why?”
photography by Matt Burkhartt | design by Autumn Wadsworth
The opinions expressed are soley those of the author and do not reflect the views of REPORTER

“I always wanted one of those open flesh,
robotic, mechanic tattoos down my back. I want
something cool and big and I like cool machines.”
Raven Benfield, Second year Industrial Engineering

“Life Goes On,” on her left wrist.
“No regrets, you learn from mistakes. Life keeps
moving; so should you.”
Avanelle St. Bernard, Second year Liberal Arts Exploration

A trigonometry properties cheat sheet on
his forearm.
Phill Kelner, First year Electrical Engineering

“My sister thought that a tattoo of a giraffe on a
child’s back would be interesting as they grew, so I
would like to have tried it.”
Eric Hambleton, Second year Electrical Engineering

These bus drivers need to
stop taking breaks when
I’m late for class. Who
do they think they are,
humans?!

Monday, 10:07 p.m.

Just saw a kid jogging in
cargo shorts. It’s great to
be back.

Friday, 7:26 p.m.

30

Views | October 2013

Why do people think it’s
acceptable to interfere with
HvZ? You wouldn’t run out
onto the field during a rugby
game just to troll the players.
It’s fine if you’d rather not
participate, but ruining the fun
of those who do just makes
you look like a [zombie].

Dirtiest place on campus?
Gum ball machine in the
Campus Center. Everyone
touches the handle then a
gumball they stick in their
mouth. Gross!!!

Tuesday, 12:26 a.m.

Tuesday, 3:41 p.m.

My roommate saw a
couple cats outside
Riverknoll and decided to
go catch one. Turns out
they were skunks. He’s
not allowed back in our
apartment.

That awkward moment
when you try to send rings
a text about vaginas but
you accidentally send it to
your mother... Oooh joy,
she’s calling me now...

Sunday, 8:48 p.m.

Sunday, 11:48 p.m.
S

31

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